• Says state generates more revenue than 31 others combined
• Unveils running mate, launches 34-point ‘Onà Tuntun’ manifesto

Lagos State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Funso Doherty, has said that the state’s challenge is not a lack of resources but a failure to fulfil its obligations to the people.

Doherty, who spoke yesterday during the unveiling of his running mate, Tolani Animashaun, and the launch of his manifesto tagged: “Ona Tuntun,” said Lagos State remained the wealthiest state in Nigeria and generated more taxes and revenues than 31 states combined.

He said the figures were contained in the recently released statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics.

Doherty, who, however, said the people had done their part by paying taxes and other revenues, while the government had failed to do its part, said politics should be about the lives of the people, rather than being limited to political parties and elections.

The NDC candidate cited the experience of pregnant women who, despite being promised free healthcare, were still asked to buy medicines, drugs, undergo tests and provide syringes when they go to health facilities.

He also raised concerns about public education, saying more than half of children who started work in state public schools in 2024 did not achieve passing grades.

According to him, parents were forced to spend their income sending their children to low-quality private schools because they had no faith in public schools.

Doherty also spoke about teachers in public schools, saying they had given their lives to serving but had not seen the government adequately supporting, equipping, compensating or training them.

He, however, promised to create 500,000 jobs within his first four years in office, adding that about 40 technical and vocational schools would be established across the state as part of the plan.